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Histomorphometric analysis of the epiphyseal growth plate in rats after prenatal alcohol exposure
Author(s) -
MirallesFlores Celia,
DelgadoBaeza Emilio
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
journal of orthopaedic research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.041
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1554-527X
pISSN - 0736-0266
DOI - 10.1002/jor.1100100304
Subject(s) - alcohol , endocrinology , ethanol , medicine , epiphyseal plate , chemistry , anatomy , biochemistry
We studied the effect of prenatal alcohol exposure on growth in the proximal tibial growth plate in 0‐ and 15‐day‐old rats, using histomorphometric methods. Body weight and tibial length were reduced in all alcohol‐exposed rats. In 15‐day‐old rats, these parameters were lower than in the 15‐day‐old controls, thus showing a persistence of the effects of ethanol. The proximal tibial growth plate showed alterations, principally in 15‐day‐old rats. The most notable of these was a decrease in growth plate height produced by a significant reduction in hypertrophic zone height. Likewise, there were fewer cells in this zone in alcohol‐exposed rats than in controls. This work shows that prenatal ethanol exposure induces growth retardation which may be due to growth plate alterations that might reflect impaired cell function.